Medicinals

I wrote previously of the need for every family to have a supply of all medications regularly taken by family members. But you might want to consider expanding this supply a little more. Are there frequent ailments that attack your family members? For years, every March, I would develop Bronchitis. It was like clock-work, documented in my medical charts. This was primarily due to allergies, change in weather, and the amount of time I was spending outside since March, in Georgia, signals the beginning of warm weather. The best way for me to avoid bronchitis is to treat the allergies before they develop into a sinus infection and the sinus infection before it results in bronchitis.

In order to protect my body from bronchitis, a much more serious and debilitating illness for me, I have to be sure to stay on top of my allergies. We keep Benadryl around the house in large volumes. We live in an area that is easily in the top five for worst allergies in the country. I’ve been told by several allergists that our area is, actually, #2 in the country, a hotbed for allergies and a goldmine for Allergists. Along with the Benadryl, I always try to keep on hand Mucinex to treat sinus problems before they become infections or worse. At any given time, you will find several bottles of Mucinex, both the liquid and the tablets, in our medicine cabinets. We keep sinus irrigation sets and lots of packets of the powdered mix that you add to room-temperature water for nasal irrigation. In the Spring, when all the trees and grasses are pollinating, it’s helpful to rinse your nasal passages at the end of the day of all the pollen you’ve inhaled, so it doesn’t have the opportunity to sit there overnight, irritating sensitive mucosa. We typically have a supply of Teslon Pearls, a prescription cough aid, and an assortment of prescription and OTC cough medicines. And I ALWAYS have on hand cold and flu medicine. We like the brands that you open a pouch, pour into hot water, and drink. The warm liquid always feels good going down and the medication seems to work faster in this form. I also keep a batch of hot buttered rum batter in the freezer. Two tablespoons of this batter, a mug laced with a little Rum, and boiling water poured over the top can alleviate coughing long enough for the patient to get some sleep. The warm liquid with a touch of alcohol relaxes the muscles and can really help when coughing is keeping sleep at bay.

A stockpile of Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) is always a good thing. Acetaminophen reduces fever and is a pain-reliever. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory that can also be used to reduce pain by improving circulation. For instance, if you have a headache, Acetaminophen will block the pain receptors, but Ibuprofen may help open up blood vessels to the brain which is causing the headache. For a pulled muscle or muscle strain, Ibuprofen should be your go-to. For most people, Ibuprofen can be taken in 600-800 mg doses every 6 hours for a short time to help with inflammation and muscle aches. However, extended use and ANY use in elderly, the very young, or others with chronic diseases can cause liver damage and should be avoided. 

You might also want to keep a stash of anti-diarrheal medication for stomach bugs and anti-nausea medicine. Ginger can be a good home remedy for nausea, motion sickness, or morning sickness. Peel a hunk of ginger root, cut off a small slice, and chew it, spitting out the pulp. One of my doctors recommended ginger to me for morning sickness when I was pregnant with my first child. You can buy ginger pills and ginger chews at many drug stores. The ginger chews are a little strong for me. Plain old root ginger can also be steeped in boiling water and drunk as a tea to help with stomach upset.

Every house should have a well-stocked first aid kit, that includes splints, ace bandages, non-stick bandages, bandaids, triple antibiotic ointment, blood clotting powder, hydrocortisone cream, tweezers, scissors, gauze, medical tape, and any other basic supplies. We also keep liquid topical Benadryl on hand to use for rashes caused by exposure to allergens. Cleaning a wound well is the absolute first step with any abrasive injury or cut. You might also look into sourcing surgical glue. This is a great way to seal up a wound that is clean and is a great alternative to stitches.

Does it sound like I’m always saying to spend some time thinking through various scenarios? This is another one of those situations. Every family has their own unique medical needs, and only you know what those are and can prepare for the possibility that your family may not be able to run to a drugstore and pick up the necessary items when they need them. Spend some time thinking through the illnesses your family has had in the last year or two. Are these recurring? Is there any pattern, like my March Bronchitis? Track this and prepare accordingly.

One word of caution - these products DO need to be rotated periodically.  If you have a first aid kit that is over 10 years old, replace the items or purchase a new one. Medicines may no longer be effective after this amount of time, so get out your first aid kit and make sure it’s up-to-date. 

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